_(For the Mirror.)_
One of the finest buildings in Constantinople is a fountain in an open
square, near the seraglio gate; it is a place built and maintained by
the Grand Vizier, for the people to come and draw water, who have it
served out to them in great jugs by people who are constantly in
attendance to fill them; the jugs are chained to the place, and stand in
rows about four feet from the ground, between gilt iron bars in front of
the building. There are men always ready inside to draw the water and
fill the jugs, which till people come are kept full; these men receive a
yearly salary.
The houses are chiefly built of wood, and reach so far over the top that
in some of the streets it would be very possible to get from the windows
of one house to another across the street. By this manner of building,
any one who has seen the place will not wonder at the frequent and fatal
conflagrations there, for if once a fire break out it must burn till it
comes to some garden or large vacant place to stop at. The Bussard is
the most regular part of the city, and has a number of parallel streets
crossing one another, and covered at the top with planks which keep out
the rain and sun. Here all the richest and finest goods in
Constantinople are put out to show, as a pattern or sample of the
merchants' stock, for sale in their warehouses at home. Every street has
its particular trade, so that there is no mixture of shops as in other
capitals. One street is occupied by goldsmiths, another by silk and
brocade merchants; grocers and tailors have also different streets to
themselves. The city is always shut up at ten at night, so that no one
can have entrance or get out after that time. Indeed there is scarcely
any one in the streets after dusk, for every one then goes to rest, so
that when daylight is gone no business can be transacted; but the people
are obliged to pray every night one hour and a half after dark, when the
priests go up into the towers of the mosques, and in a loud voice call
crowds to prayers in these words:--"God is great; (three times) give
testimony there is but one God, yield yourselves to his mercy, and pray
to him to forgive your sins. God is great (three times more) there is no
other God but God."